


The Great Mistletoe Scavenger Hunt

by LadyInfierno



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Awfully sweet really, Established Relationship, F L U F F, Fluff, M/M, Old Married Couple, PrUK Secret Santa 2018, Will I ever stop vague writing side characters?, no not fluff, nope - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 01:54:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17356739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyInfierno/pseuds/LadyInfierno
Summary: Arthur didn't like the mistletoe tradition that much, so he did the only sensible thing: invented his own.





	The Great Mistletoe Scavenger Hunt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aphenglandstan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aphenglandstan/gifts).



> Part of my gift for Parker (aphenglandstan @tumblr) for the PrUK Secret Santa 2018 :]  
> Their prompts were mistletoe & happy holidays, so this is still christmassy even if is January already. Happy New Year, dear!

Arthur had never liked the mistletoe tradition very much, but because he was an English gentleman and that forced him to follow the customs he conceded, and every holiday season he made sure one was hung at one door to avoid someone complaining. Now, this was the tricky part: it was always the most ridiculous door he could manage to find.

One year it was the closet door in the guest's room, another, the little door his cat used to go outside, and once he had dared to put one under the oven handle. It was a door after all. By now it had become their own kind of tradition, and the annual get together they organised had a custom made play for the guests: The first one to discover the mistletoe was named King and could ask for one thing once dinner finished.

This year wasn't that different, and with the house already decorated and almost all the dishes ready for the night (by German hands mostly, only trusting him alone with dessert), Arthur had only one task left to complete the 'Christmas schedule', as his husband liked to call it.

"Have I already told you how sexy you look in that apron?"

Said husband muttered against his neck as a pair of strong arms hugged him from behind. He grinned, leaning back into that warm body and feeling the smile against his skin. "Actually yes, just an hour ago when I put it on," he didn't bother trying to sound annoyed by this point, he knew he looked kind of ridiculous with that smiley reindeer on his chest, but Gilbert adored buying Christmas themed things and specially adored seeing Arthur use them.

Some things were more tolerable than others, but if he remembered correctly Gilbert was using boxers with little pine trees and gift boxes so they were even.

"Are you picking them up?" It was easy turning into the embrace to face the taller man, his hands automatically finding their way to the other's belt loops; years of practice made everything feel natural, and both were content discovering little things like those every day.

"Yup, Lutz wanted to take a taxi, but what kind of big brother would I be if I didn't embarrass him in front of his girlfriend first thing after arriving in England?" His mischievous smile contrasted greatly with the excitement shining in his eyes, but Arthur didn't say it. He knew, and Gilbert knew he knew, so it wasn't really necessary.

And it was convenient too, since he could proceed to hide the annual mistletoe with way less _distractions_ if his loud mouthed and always full of energy partner wasn't there. By the way Gilbert's fingers kept fidgeting with his vest where they rested it was obvious he knew this and didn't like it. He smiled for himself, in the few years they had done this he hadn't won even _once._

Arthur wouldn't admit it out loud, but it was pretty amusing how upset his husband got by that, because 'It's our house! How come I can't find it first?' He rolled his eyes at the memory and the blatant threat to Ludwig's dignity, "Then you should get going, love." His smile only got bigger when, as usual, the arms around him tightened their grip a bit.

Both of their jobs didn't leave a lot of free time the rest of the year, so the holiday season was something they treasured, and it showed in moments like those when spending time being together wasn't a rushed kiss or a scheduled date, it was swaying at the rhythm of an imaginary jazz beat, hugged in the middle of the living room, or burning cookies in the morning and make that an excuse to spend all day outside eating sweets.

Eventually those arms relented, a kiss was given to him on the cheek and the albino man was out of the house with the promise of bringing back a cheerful Italian and a red faced German back. And some apple cider, too.

It was then, with just Scone and him in the house, that Christmas started. He left the silly apron in the kitchen and went to find the little plastic plant that caused such a racket before and after dinner every year. "I don't even remember who suggested the whole 'King of the mistletoe' thing," he told his cat, who was content with looking at him from his place at the windowsill, while rummaging inside one drawer, "I'm just seventy percent sure it was Gilbert."

Scone swished its tail.

"You're right, maybe eighty."

Finally he found the offending thing and mused a bit about where to put it this year. He walked to his cat to stroke its ears, it calmed both of them. "Where to put it, indeed..." There weren't a lot of rules to this silly game, but the most important one was that it _had_ to be a door. Didn't matter if it was visible at first glance, big enough to pass through it or if it had an actual door attached, just an opening would suffice. Scone purred and he smiled; he had the perfect place.

* * *

"Arthur! Long-time no see!"

Before he could answer he had his arms full of a very cheerful and a _very pregnant_ Italian. Just as promised, behind her a red faced Ludwig followed, still scowling and reprimanding at his older brother for whatever it was he had said.

"Did you put it up yet? Can I have a hint?" And of course the first thing she asked about was that. He snickered and shook his head, detaching himself from her arms in favour of shaking the younger Beilschmidt's hand.

"You know I don't give anyone advantage, Feli," she giggled, seemingly aware and in agreement of that. His husband, on the other hand, looked almost betrayed. Oh well, he had decided to marry Arthur even after knowing ' _anyone'_ included him, it wasn't his fault.

In a moment everyone was busy storing dishes away or placing gifts under the tree, so the incoming game was forgotten. Their place wasn't really that small, but with people still arriving there was less and less space; siblings, cousins, childhood and mutual friends were packed inside, but even if it felt a bit cramped, it was also lively, cosy, and familiar.

By the time everyone was gathered at the living room with a cup of warm cider and chatting amicably Arthur felt it. Like a change in the atmosphere, not everyone was looking at him, but he _knew_. "Alright, it's time. You may look for your bloody plant now," he sighed, smiling, and could hear Felicia and Alfred cheering before springing to their feet and start the hunt (followed by a worried Ludwig who still panicked at every sudden motion the pregnant Italian made.)

Everyone else followed at a more reasonable pace, and he still amazed at the fact even Roderich Edelstein, the most serious man he had ever met, joined the searching party willingly, hand in hand with his wife. Taking a sip of his cider he noticed something, or someone, who was still by the side of the couch instead of looking for the little piece of plastic.

"Gilbert? Is there something wrong, dear?"

He was more curious than worried, years prior his husband hadn't wasted a second before proclaiming he would be king that year, (he never was), and now he just stood there, glass in hand, smiling down at him as if he were the only one in the room. Gilbert always had that trait, they could be at the loudest of places, around a hundred more people, and just by looking at him like _that_ Arthur felt the most important thing in the German's life.

Oh, great, he didn't need that heat and colour in his face, did he?

His husband laughed lowly, approaching him and sitting at his side, "Nothing wrong, just... you always organise this for us and you can't play." Gilbert shrugged and he smiled, they had had this conversation before and everyone knew Arthur enjoyed looking from the sideways (and make fun at failed attempts), so it had to be something else.

"Christmas wouldn't be as fun without you, you know?" One large hand took his, and warm lips kissed his fingers. This was... uncommon. At least, with that much people around. Gilbert was a very affectionate person, always giving him kisses or touching him in some way (that included some almost indecent things), but it was subtle, just for the two of them, and this was deliberate, for everyone to see and hear. "So maybe I just want to say thank you, to my wonderful husband."

One, two, three seconds of silence, and then it clicked. He couldn't suppress his loud laughter.

"Bloody bastard! You already found it!"

The reactions to his statement were diverse, he could hear Feli gasp happily and his twin cousins groan in defeat, but mostly he heard Gilbert's loud roar of laughter, who didn't waste any time getting to the mistletoe, crammed inside a little decorative replica of the Gate of Brandenburg sitting innocently on the bookshelf.

Everything got louder, with the German albino's almost hysterical laughter and their dumb friends arguing against his win. 'It isn't fair! That's not a door, it's a _gate_ ', 'It's the same thing and you're just jealous!'; it was almost as if the game hadn't ended already, everyone was now debating the fairness of the hiding place, and wondering how the loud German had managed to win at last.

Debate continued through dinner, with Gilbert happily reminding everyone he was now King and would be addressed as that, and Erzsébet chiming in with a 'You were always a Royal pain in the ass, no need for a title'; their bickering turned into bad puns by the end of the night, anyway, and that included calling him 'King consort' twice, Ludwig and Felicia 'Prince and Princess of the Estate' thrice, and their upcoming baby 'The future Dictator of the Land' at least once. How they concluded the ' _dictator_ ' part wasn't clear, but it surely had been influenced by François, Antonio and Mathieu, surprisingly.

Almost at three in the morning, when everyone was still a bit functional, some goodbyes were said and the host couple waved from the entrance. Felicia was already asleep in the guest's room, Ludwig following suit. Alfred and Mathieu were good sleeping on the sofa-bed in the living room, if only under the promise of a breakfast trademark Beilschmidt, and Arthur was gone, too, when a warm and sleepy body embraced him from behind.

* * *

"Now that I think of it, you didn't ask for anything after winning yesterday."

"Oh, that," Gilbert smiled, like a child getting into mischief without their parents knowing. Good thing Arthur was too preoccupied rinsing his cup of tea at the sink, "I don't really want anything."

_That_ got his husband's attention and he received an arched brow, a silent request to elaborate. So he sighed and leaned on the kitchen door's frame, stretching his arm towards Arthur in an equally silent request for a hug.

"I just, you know, sometimes remember that you, the most incredible man on this earth, are married to _me,_ " he couldn't help that 'endearingly weird hissing laugh of his' (as Arthur put it) to escape, finally getting to close his arms around the smaller frame of his very own English gentleman, "and I still don't know how I managed that."

There it was, the pink colour he adored on those cheeks. The slightly pursed lips were a good sign, he knew.

"I already have all I want," he smiled and motioned upwards. First surprise, then that look that meant 'you're unbelievable', and finally a laugh were his rewards to the little plastic mistletoe haphazardly taped to the door frame they were currently under. Once again it was just the two of them, never mind the other four asleep souls inside the house.

"I love you, Art."

"Love you too, git."

[o](http://ladyinfierno.tumblr.com/post/181857412765)

 

**Author's Note:**

> I have never, ever in my life, seen a mistletoe, so idk if something may seem inaccurate ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> Also, Gilbert found it so fast because he _knew_ Arthur would use the little ornament one day, so he just waited, and each year that was the first place he looked at :D  
> Hope you enjoyed the reading! And don't forget to check out the art linked at the end ;)


End file.
